Bicycle seat

Abstract

An auxiliary seat adapted to be mounted over the wheel of a conventional bicycle includes a shock absorbing support assembly. The support assembly includes a pair of struts, one end of each being fixedly secured to the bicycle frame near the bicycle wheel axle and the other end of each being secured to the primary seat mounting bolt of the bicycle. Each strut, in turn, includes a shock absorber assembly for cushioning the axillary seat when the bicycle traverses a bump or other obstruction. The preferred shock absorber assembly comprises a helical compression spring retained between a sleeve coaxially and slidably engaging the bottom portion of each strut. The normal or rest position of the spring may be selectively adjustably positioned at various axial locations on the lower portion of the strut by employment of a spring retainer engaging one of a series of axially spaced holes in the strut to thereby vary the bias of the compression spring and therefore compensate the shock absorbing capacity of the shock absorber assembly in accordance with the weight of the expected occupant of the auxiliary seat.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LETTERS PATENT of the United States is as follows: 
     
       1. An auxiliary seat assembly comprising: an auxiliary seat;   a first left strut member having first and second ends with the first end thereof being pivotally mountable to a bicycle, the auxiliary seat being coupled to the first left strut member;   a hollow cylindrical left sleeve member extending at an angle from the second end of the first left strut member, the left sleeve member being shaped so as to define a pair of longitudinal slots directed through diametrically opposed walls thereof;   a first left flange projecting radially outwardly from a lower end of the left sleeve member;   a second left strut member pivotally mountable to a bicycle and being coaxially received within a lower end of the left sleeve member;   a second left flange projecting radially outwardly from the second left strut member and being spaced from the first left flange;   a left helical compression spring concentrically positioned about the second left strut member and between the first and second left flanges;   a left travel limiting bolt directed through the second left strut member and projecting laterally of the left sleeve member through both of the longitudinal slots thereof;   a first right strut member having first and second ends with the first end thereof being pivotally mountable to a bicycle, the auxiliary seat being coupled to the first right strut member;   a hollow cylindrical right sleeve member extending at an angle from the second end of the first right strut member, the right sleeve member being shaped so as to define a pair of longitudinal slots directed through diametrically opposed walls thereof;   a first right flange projecting radially outwardly from a lower end of the right sleeve member;   a second right strut member pivotally mountable to a bicycle and being coaxially received within a lower end of the right sleeve member;   a second right flange projecting radially outwardly from the second right strut member and being spaced from the first right flange;   a right helical compression spring concentrically positioned about the second right strut member and between the first and second right flanges;   a right travel limiting bolt directed through the second right strut member and projecting laterally of the right sleeve member through both of the longitudinal slots thereof; and   wherein the second left and right flanges are movably mounted about the respective second left and right strut members, and further wherein the second left and right strut members are each shaped so as to define a series of longitudinally spaced and aligned adjustment holes extending therethrough; and further comprising a left spring retainer directed through one of the adjustment holes of the second left strut member, and a right spring retainer directed through one of the adjustment holes of the second right strut member.   
     
     
       2. The auxiliary seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the second left and right strut members are each shaped so as to define a bottom flattened end having a mounting hole directed through the bottom flattened end thereof. 
     
     
       3. The auxiliary seat assembly of claim 2, wherein the first ends of the first left and right tubular strut members are each shaped so as to define a flattened end having a mounting hole directed through the bottom flattened end of the first left and right tubular strut members. 
     
     
       4. The auxiliary seat assembly of claim 3, and further comprising left and right upper mounting brackets pivotally coupled to first ends of the respective first left and right strut members, the upper mounting brackets each including a series of longitudinally spaced mounting bracket holes directed therethrough. 
     
     
       5. The auxiliary seat assembly of claim 4, wherein the second ends of the first left and right strut members are each bent at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis directed therethrough, with the second ends of the first left and right tubular strut members each being coaxially received within an upper end of the respective left and right sleeve members. 
     
     
       6. The auxiliary seat assembly of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary seat includes a back rest portion, a seat portion coupled to the back rest portion, and sidewall portions projecting from the seat portion along laterally opposed sides thereof. 
     
     
       7. The auxiliary seat assembly of claim 6, wherein the auxiliary seat further includes a pair of downwardly depending foot rest portions extending from the seat portion and being laterally spaced apart so as to straddle a rear wheel of a bicycle when coupled thereto.